Balearic Islands: a Catalan archipelago

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The Balearic Islands are an archipelago, located in the western Mediterranean Sea facing the Gulf of Valencia. The archipelago is made up of four main islands: Majorca (Mallorca), 3,626 km²; Menorca (Menorca), 689 km²; Ibiza, 571 km²; Formentera, 83 km²; and other smaller ones (Cabrera, Conejera, Espardell etc.).

First of all, the archipelago covers a total of 4,992 km² and has about one million inhabitants, and forms a Spanish province with the capital Palma de Mallorca. The official languages of the archipelago of the Balearic islands are Catalan and Castilian.

GEOGRAPHY OF THE ISLANDS

In this section we will talk about the geography of the islands. The Balearics are located in the western Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Catalonia and the Valencian Community. First, the archipelago is made up of 4 main islands, the largest of which is Majorca. The northernmost island is Menorca, while the southernmost one is the small Formentera. The island of Ibiza is the westernmost and closest to the Spanish coast from which it is about 80 km away.

On the other hand, the islands are mostly flat with low hills, only the island of Majorca has a mountain range that culminates in the Puig del Torrellas (1,445 meters). Natural beauty, nightlife, beaches and social centers make the tourism industry the major economic activity of the Balearic islands.

The territory of the Balearic islands is protected by a maritime and terrestrial national park: the Parque Nacional del Archipiélago de Cabrera on the island of Majorca. In the archipelago there are seven natural parks: Cala d’Hort (Ibiza), Cap Llentrisca i Sa Talaia (Ibiza), Cala Mondragó (Majorca), Península del Llevant (Majorca), Sa Dragonera (Majorca), S ‘ Albufera de Mallorca (Majorca), S’Albufera des Grau (Menorca), Ses Salines (Ibiza and Formentera).

UNESCO has included a site in the Balearic Islands on the list of World Heritage Sites: the island of Ibiza with its cultural heritage and its biodoversity.

The climate of the islands. Tourist attractions. How to get to the Balearic.

Official website of the Balearic Government.